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    The Original Mels

    3.3 (527 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    THE ORIGINAL MELS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Sante Fe Chicken Melburger
    Hallie W.

    We got Mel's. One of our go to spots. I got the Sante Fe Chicken Melburger. Chicken was juicy, the peppers and cheese was a nice addition too. I opted to get a regular hamburger bun instead of the wheat bread it normally would come on. The old fashioned chocolate shake was delicious and very rich! My husband finished his, but I will need to finish mine later!

    Lucy M.

    My burger was good but could have used more seasoning. Our waitress was also kind of slow, had to wait awhile to order our food and then again when trying to get the check. The place was a little dirty, they could have swept up a bit between crowds. Not a fan, but not dismissing this restaurant either.

    Hashbrowns and eggs Benedict
    Betty P.

    This place was packed but we managed to be seated quickly. Service was great and the food came out fast. Overall good comfort food and a great cup of coffee

    Jody W.

    Great food, service and ambiance as usual. This was breakfast with Dad for my birthday. Pics show the yumminess!!! I keep coming back no matter what time of day!

    Samantha C.

    Walked in on a weekday for lunch and was served immediately. Service was outstanding by both waitresses we encountered. What we got: San Francisco Melburger (4/5) -- Patty doneness exactly as I asked and everything tasted great together. Only comments are the sourdough wasn't as sour as I'm used to and a lot of the bacon was so hard that I was hesitant to chew for the sake of my teeth. Got standard fries to go alongside and they were very dry and flavorless Fish and chips (4/5) -- My dad enjoyed this even though I thought the fish pieces could have been a little larger. The ranch and onion rings that come with were well executed Affordable, good basic diner food. Bummer that the record picker at our booth wasn't working.

    Corn beef hash
    Deanna L.

    This diner reminds me of the movie Grease! I brought my little one and he was so intrigued by the decor inside. I ordered the corn beef hash and asked for extra crispy hash and my mom ordered an extra hot clam chowder and burger. We made a few requests and our server granted every one of those requests. The portions were decent sized and the pricings were average. The restaurant wasnt too busy when we came for lunch right before Thanksgiving, so there wasn't a wait. It was my first time at Mels and I had a positive experience.

    Country Skillet sub fried eggs over scrambled
    Anthony E.

    Gotta love some Mel's Diner. I had the country skillet which was soooo good. Really good portion for the price. Our waitress was very friendly, and waited on our party in a very timely and helpful manner. Who doesn't love the 50's style diner atmosphere?? Fun place to come for the kids as they love to pick out songs on the table jukebox.

    Lemon meringue pie

    My slice of pie looked like it had fallen and placed in a to go container. The filling was runny and the meringue was liquidy falling off the pie. The crust was crumbs. Terrible product quality and service. Perhaps it was left out at room temperature too long while the rest of my order being prepared. At 5.99 a slice, I expect better quality. Do better!

    Vanessa C.

    Stopped by for breakfast this morning with my fiancé and it was so good. They were super busy but we still got sat pretty fast. Our server was very friendly. Food was great. I got the corned beef hash and eggs (and I added avocado). My fiancé got the country fried steak and eggs. Super good!

    Open faced turkey, dressing & mashed potatoes
    Karen C.

    Worst meal I've ever had at Mels. Didn't like the turkey or stuffing. The server was kind. I settled for a salad. Busy atmosphere. Most days the service is really good. Every once in awhile I have to take the 2nd photo into account. Love the milk shakes although the last time we went the server asked us what flavor she could split for us? A bit presumptuous especially since we wanted different flavors. I did notice that our shakes were less full and had less syrup that visit. Best burgers but that same server argued that no pink was the same as well done. Not in my opinion especially since that burger ended up being crunchy around the edges. They have a large menu, and serve breakfast all day. The jukebox wasn't playing the last couple times we went but the music is nice when it does. Plenty of parking out front and located near the outlets if shopping is on your mind. Overall we'll go again I suppose.

    Kinda late on Thursday night...

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    19 days ago

    There is a couple of servers that are good . But it's really gross that they don't clean the music thing at the table .

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    Admin M.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The food is good, the service is excellent and friendly. I have had breakfast, lunch, and dinner here and enjoyed all.

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    1 year ago

    Food was good. Portions were big and service was great. The kids loved the balloons that they got when we walked in.

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    1 year ago

    It was great food and service. Thank you for a great time. We will be back for sure. The hot dogs were good

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    Page 1 of 14

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    Buckhorn BBQ + Grill

    Buckhorn BBQ + Grill

    3.6
    (843 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    My son and I came to Buckhorn BBQ & Grill for their National Tri Tip Day celebration. First 100…read morepeople get a free Tri Tip Sandwich (we were too late at 12:20pm), but if you missed out on the free ones, then they had them for purchase at a special $9.99 price. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a couple of employees at the balloon archway at the front of the restaurant, handed each of us a National Tri Tip Day sticker and told about the specials they had for this event: free tri tip sandwiches for the first 100 people, $5 draft beers and a chance to win free tri tips for 1 year. They were decently busy, so we opted to order at the outside pickup window and take our order home to eat. We ordered 4 tri tip sandwiches to take home ($43.21 with tax). When I opened up my Buckhorn Rewards App, I saw that I had an 1 year celebration reward (5oz Burnt Ends w/ Fried Onion Strings), I redeemed that with my order. At the ordering counter the had a QR code to enter their "Free Tri Tips for a Year" drawing, which I entered. Both their tri tip sandwiches and Burnt Ends were delicious! They had some side sauces (chipotle ranch and sweet fire BBQ) that I poured onto the sandwich and then I dipped the sandwich in their Au Jus which was a great combination. I believed the tri tip sandwiches are normally $15.50, but were $9.99 for today's event, it was a great deal. Buckhorn BBQ and Grill is a great place for the BBQ meat lover. Their prices are not cheap, but the quality is there. They do have some deals on the menu and specials on certain days such as $10 for 3 fish tacos on Fridays. Don't forget to join their rewards program for free food.

    I am so sad. I really wanted Buckhorn for dinner today. I came from Fairfield and ordered my To-go…read moreorder inside. I asked for medium rare. Got home and opened up the container and here is the medium tri tip. So disappointing. I only like my meat medium rare. Over $30 plus the drive to Vacaville to settle this. Service was nice and efficient but man, what I would have given to have had my meat prepared the way I requested

    Photos
    View from back of restaurant.
    View from back of restaurant.
    Chicken Platter with sweet potatoes and broccoli salad
    Chicken Platter with sweet potatoes and broccoli salad
    Hawaiian margarita and old fashioned

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    Hawaiian margarita and old fashioned
    Clay Oven  Grill & Bar

    Clay Oven Grill & Bar

    4.4
    (2.1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Met up with a friend for lunch. She's been here plenty of times -- this was my first go, so I let…read moreher take the lead on ordering. Solid decision. We were seated immediately, which I always appreciate. The space is pretty big with a modern feel, and there's plenty of parking out front (no circling the lot like a hawk -- love that). Even though they gave us the lunch menu, we went à la carte. Ordered: tandoori chicken, butter chicken, coconut shrimp, butter naan, and rice -- all medium spice where applicable. The tandoori chicken was tender and well seasoned -- no dry chicken nonsense here. The butter chicken was exactly what you want it to be: rich, creamy, tomato-forward, and comforting. But the one that caught me off guard a bit was the coconut shrimp -- creamy, slightly sweet, and a little more mild than "medium" heat, probably because of the coconut milk, but still really good. And listen... the butter naan? Fresh, warm, and absolutely necessary. Both the butter chicken and coconut shrimp were made for dipping. No shame in wiping those plates clean. Service was great. Staff was kind, checked in on us without hovering, and kept our water filled without us needing to flag anyone down. Overall -- easy, enjoyable lunch. Good food, good service, no complaints. I'd definitely come back.

    it was my first time here and i was impressed by how busy it was at 3-4pm on a sunday afternoon. it…read morefeels like the perfect spot for families, friends, and even date nights. service was attentive here and there, did feel forgotten during the checkout process as we were placed in a corner that might be hard to see. portions were great for ordering a la carte or family style. parking was easy and plenty, shared with the neighboring motel. we ordered the combo appetizers, mango lassi, chicken bomb biryani, and chicken tikka masala. combo appetizers: 8/10 i'm familiar with samosas, but it was my first time trying the other two appetizers. they were all really great! paired with the tamarind chutney, which was honestly life changing, and the mint cilantro chutney, it was such a strong start to the meal. mango lassi: 8/10 refreshing, smooth, and a solid option if you're craving something fruity and refreshing. chicken bomb biryani: 8.5/10 really well seasoned and spiced. we ordered medium and it had great flavor without being overwhelming. chicken tikka masala: 100000/10 not even kidding. rich, creamy, perfectly spiced, and the chicken was incredibly tender. easily the highlight of the whole experience.

    Photos
    To the left side of the restaurant from the bar
    To the left side of the restaurant from the bar
    Chilli Chicken
    Chilli Chicken
    03.22.25 covered patio seating

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    03.22.25 covered patio seating
    Fenton's Creamery

    Fenton's Creamery

    3.8
    (2k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Enjoyed our visit here. The food is not cheap, but the quality is very good…read more Grilled chicken salad: 4/5. My wife and I split a large salad since we were going to be gorging ourselves on a sundae. The chicken was surprisingly enjoyable, warm and tasty. Small custom sundae: 4/5. Two scoops of ice cream (vanilla and coffee), and two helpings of hot fudge sauce. Pretty good, but next time I will order extra chocolate sauce.

    We have been coming to Fentons for years, which made this experience especially disappointing…read more The hostess should not be working in a customer-facing role without proper training on how to interact respectfully and compassionately with children who have disabilities and their families. Our servers were great, but the hostess stood out for the wrong reasons. We came in 6/6/2026 for reference around 12pm. Our party of 10 was quoted a 30-minute wait, which we were happy to accept. After waiting, we checked in with the hostess only to be told that our table had been given away and our name had been removed from the list because she claimed she called us several times. No one in our group heard our name called. What was most frustrating was the lack of effort to help resolve the situation. The hostess was dismissive and seemed uninterested in finding a solution. This was particularly difficult because my 4-year-old niece has autism, and unexpected changes and long waits can be very challenging for her. A little patience, understanding, and compassion would have gone a long way. As longtime customers, we expected better communication and customer service. Unfortunately, the way this situation was handled left us feeling unwelcome and disappointed.

    Photos
    Since 1894! #Ice #Cream #American #Traditional #Restaurants
 #Breakfast #Brunch #Dinner #Dessert #Oakland #Vacaville #Top #Best #Near #Me
    Since 1894! #Ice #Cream #American #Traditional #Restaurants #Breakfast #Brunch #Dinner #Dessert #Oakland #Vacaville #Top #Best #Near #Me
    Since 1894! #Ice #Cream #American #Traditional #Restaurants
 #Breakfast #Brunch #Dinner #Dessert #Oakland #Vacaville #Top #Best #Near #Me
    Since 1894! #Ice #Cream #American #Traditional #Restaurants #Breakfast #Brunch #Dinner #Dessert #Oakland #Vacaville #Top #Best #Near #Me
    Since 1894! #Ice #Cream #American #Traditional #Restaurants
 #Breakfast #Brunch #Dinner #Dessert #Oakland #Vacaville #Top #Best #Near #Me

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    Since 1894! #Ice #Cream #American #Traditional #Restaurants #Breakfast #Brunch #Dinner #Dessert #Oakland #Vacaville #Top #Best #Near #Me
    Backdoor Bistro and Wine Bar

    Backdoor Bistro and Wine Bar

    4.2
    (843 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    We had a lovely lunch here. The staff was super friendly and attentive. The food was delicious -…read morestand outs include the Mac n' cheese and fried polenta and the salads. (I'd skip the fish tacos.) We had a baby and two dogs so sat down outside. They couldn't have been more accommodating. Also very willing to accommodate special food requests. Overall a lovely experience and we will definitely go back.

    Back Door Bistro, Vacaville: 2026 Jul 10 (4.29 of 5)…read more Ladies Gathering!! The service here is a 4.5 of 5. We had different servers who attended to us and they're both friendly and looked cheerful. We got there towards the end of Happy Hour and was presented with their Happy Hour menu. The menu is small, easy to read and has almost everything we'd want for that time of day - including the drinks. The food is a 'hit' or 'miss'. Here's my review: Drinks: Both the Arnold Palmer and the Cadillac Margarita were good. My lemonade tea wasn't overly sweet and I could definitely taste the lemonade. The pitcher of Cadillac Margarita looks innocent but may give someone a slow and powerful buzz if you're not used to the drink. (4.75 of 5) Charcuterie: This a complete appetizer board. Overall, there were some hits and misses, however, we agreed this is a well thought out appetizer board. (4 of 5) Crispy Brussels Sprouts: This is the best dish here, featuring deeply caramelized, dark golden-brown edges and a nutty, earthy flavor. Their Crispy Brussels Sprouts is also the best we've had. The seasoning is on-point, allowing the texture to show off its crackling, crunchy bite on the outside, contrasted by a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior. (5 of 5) Seasonal Tacos: "Oh WOW!" The explosion of spicy and tangy flavours balanced by contrasting textures makes this dish "pop". (4.75 of 5) Beet Salad: The colours were lovely, but this beet salad was over-salted. The vibrant dish featuring beets as the main ingredient, balances the earthy sweetness with contrasting textures and flavours. If this wasn't too salty, it would have been more refreshing. (3.75 of 5) Coconut Lime Bouillabaisse (halibut, jasmine rice, spinach, snap pea, pickled shiitake mushroom, coconut lime broth, basil oil): Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Bouillabaisse means seafood. The only seafood we noticed were chunks of halibut, which were delicious. This dish looks and tastes more like an elevated Thai soup dish that cost too much. (3.5 of 5) After walking in, we decided to sit outdoors because of the loud music that was playing. We're glad we did. The overhang on the veranda was well positioned with plants and flowers softening the cement walkway. The weather was pleasant - with a gentle breeze blowing down the corridor. Parking is easy if you arrive early enough. One last note: Back Door Bistro in Vacaville was featured on "Check, Please! Bay Area"

    Photos
    View of seating
    View of seating
    Power bowl  California Benedict  Lemon ricotta pancakes  Pineapple mimosa
    Power bowl California Benedict Lemon ricotta pancakes Pineapple mimosa
    Backdoor Bistro and Wine Bar

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    The Original Mels - diners - Updated July 2026

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